DID WE SAVE A LIFE HERE? THINK ABOUT IT.
>>> A WHISTLE-BLOWER RELEASED
THE DETAILS OF A PHONE CALL
BETWEEN PRESIDENT TRUMP AND
UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT ZELENSKY.
THAT WAS THE CATALYST FOR THE
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY AGAINST
TRUMP.
TRUMP. YESTERDAY ON "MEET THE PRESS"
CONGRESSMAN SCHIFF TOLD CHUCK
TODD WHY THE INTELLIGENCE
COMMUNITY WON’T BE HEARING FROM
THAT WHISTLE-BLOWER.
THAT WHISTLE-BLOWER. >> WE HAVE A DEEP INTEREST IN
HAVING A WHISTLE-BLOWER TESTIFY
UNTIL TWO THINGS HAPPENED.
ONE, WE WERE ABLE TO PROVE
EVERYTHING THE WHISTLE-BLOWER
COMPLAINT WITH WITNESSES THAT
HAD FIRSTHAND INFORMATION.
AND SECOND, THE PRESIDENT AND
HIS ALLIES EFFECTIVELY PUT THAT
WHISTLE-BLOWER’S LIFE IN DANGER.
THE PRESIDENT SAID THE
WHISTLE-BLOWER AND OTHERS SHOULD
BE TREATED AS A TRAITOR OR A SPY
AND WE OUGHT TO USE THE PENALTY
WE USED TO USE FOR TRAITORS AND
SPIES AND THAT’S THE DEATH
PENALTY.
PENALTY. HERE’S THE THING, CHUCK.
WE DOESHTN’T NEED THE
WHISTLE-BLOWER’S SECONDHAND
WHISTLE-BLOWER’S SECONDHAND EVIDENCE ANYMORE.
EVIDENCE ANYMORE. IT WOULD ONLY SERVE TO ENDANGER
THIS PERSON AND TO GRATIFY THE
PRESIDENT’S DESIRE FOR
RETRIBUTION AND THAT IS NOT A
GOOD ENOUGH REASON TO BRING IN
THE WHISTLE-BLOWER.
THE WHISTLE-BLOWER. >> SO WHAT ARE THE PROTECTIONS
FOR WHISTLE-BLOWERS IN THE U.S.,
AND WHAT DOES THIS PARTICULAR
WHISTLE-BLOWER MEAN FOR AMERICAN
GOVERNMENTS?
GOVERNMENTS? ALLISON SINGER, A POLITICAL
SCIENTIST AND AUTHOR OF THE BOOK
"WHISTLE-BLOWERS: HONESTY IN
AMERICA FROM WASHINGTON TO
TRUMP," CAME BY TO EXPLAIN ALL
THAT.
THAT. >> WHISTLE-BLOWERING IS AS
AMERICAN AS APPLE PIE.
WE PASSED THE WORLD’S FIRST
WHISTLE-BLOWER PROTECTION IN
1778.
1778. THAT IS BEFORE THE CONSTITUTION
WAS EVEN RATIFIED.
SO IT REALLY IS AN AMERICAN
PHENOMENON AND THAT’S WHY YOU
SAW BOTH DEMOCRATS AND
REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE
UNANIMOUSLY VOTE TO TURN THE
WHISTLE-BLOWER COMPLAINT OVER TO
CONGRESS.
CONGRESS. NORMALLY, WE -- WE RESPECT
WHISTLE-BLOWERS AND INVESTIGATE
THEIR COMPLAINTS RATHER THAN
TRYING TO OUT THEM OR
RETALIATION AGAINST THEM.
THE WORD WHISTLE-BLOWER SEEMS TO
HAVE COME FROM 19th CENTURY
BRITAIN AND IT WAS USED TO BOTH
REFER TO A POLICEMAN BLOWING A
WHISTLE TO STOP A CRIME OR A
REFEREE AT A FOOTBALL MATCH,
WHAT WE WOULD CALL A SOCCER
MATCH, BLOWING A WHISTLE ON
SOMEONE WHO’S VIOLATING A RULE,
SO IT REALLY ORIGINATES IN
SOMEONE ATTEMPTING TO KEEP US
SAFE.
SAFE. MAKE SURE THE RULES ARE UPHELD.
WHISTLE-BLOWERS ARE IMPORTANTLY
FIGHTING CORRUPTION AND
ANTI-CORRUPTION IS -- THE
INITIATIVES ARE ESSENTIAL FOR
THE RULE OF LAW.
THE FOUNDERS WERE REALLY
CONCERNED WITH THAT MAKINGEING T
SAME MISTAKES THAT ENGLAND HAD
MADE.
MADE. THEY THOUGHT THAT THE CROWN WAS
CORRUPT AND THOUGHT THE
REVOLUTION IN ORDER TO PUT IN
PLACE A NEW REPUBLIC THAT THEY
HOPED WOULD PREVENT THE SAME
SORT OF CORRUPTION TAKING ROOT
IN THE UNITED STATES.
SO THEY WERE VERY KEEN TO
PROTECT THE ABUSE OF PUBLIC
POWER FOR PRIVATE GAIN.
THEY MADE -- MADE LOCAL
OFFICIALS DIVEST THEMSELVES OF
ALL THEIR PRIVATE OWNINGS JUST
BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT IF YOU’RE
SERVING THE PUBLIC, YOU
SHOULDN’T EVEN HAVE THE
APPEARANCE OF SERVING YOURSELF.
MANY PEOPLE THINK THAT ALL
LEAKERS ARE WHISTLE-BLOWERS BUT
THAT SIMPLY ISN’T THE CASE.
WE GOT A LONGSTANDING TRADITION
OF WHISTLE-BLOWING ROOTED IN THE
RULE OF LAW.
SO THE BEST WAY TO THINK ABOUT
THIS IS NOT ALL WHISTLE-BLOWERS
ARE LEAKERS BUT ALL LEAKERS ARE
WHISTLE-BLOWERS.
WHISTLE-BLOWERS. A WHISTLE-BLOWER IS REVEALING
MISCONDUCT.
MISCONDUCT. OFTENTIMES CORRUPTION.
OFTENTIMES CORRUPTION. WHEREAS A LEAKER MAY JUST BE
TRYING TO SHIFT POLICY IN A
DIFFERENT DIRECTION.
DIFFERENT DIRECTION. AND THAT, TO ME, IS WHAT IS SO
STRIKING ABOUT THE CURRENT
SITUATION IS THAT THERE’S NO WAY
TO SPIN WHAT THE TRUMP WHITE
HOUSE IS DOING WITH RESPECT TO
UKRAINE AS A POLICY ISSUE.
WE HAVE A LONG TRADITION OF --
OF WHISTLE-BLOWERING IN THIS
COUNTRY, WHISTLE-BLOWERS IN THE
UNITED STATES SO THE IDEA OF
OUTING A WHISTLE-BLOWER OR
INCITING RETALIATION AGAINST HIM
OR HER OR FORCING THEM TO
TESTIFY, THAT’S SOMETHING
ENTIRELY NEW.
ENTIRELY NEW. NO PREVIOUS PRESIDENT HAS DONE
THAT BEFORE.
THAT BEFORE. AND SO IF HE’S SUCCESSFUL, THAT
WILL HAVE A PROFOUND CHILLING
EFFECT ON ANY FUTURE
WHISTLE-BLOWERS COMING FORWARD
AND, INDEED, THAT’S WHAT TRUMP’S
WHITE HOUSE IS TRYING TO DO.
BUT, AGAIN, THAT’S NOT HOW
DEMOCRACY OPERATES.
DEMOCRACY OPERATES. THAT’S HOW A DICTATEORSHIP
OPERATES.
OPERATES. THIS IS REALLY A QUESTION OF THE
SYSTEM, ITSELF.
SYSTEM, ITSELF. IT’S NEITHER DEMOCRAT NOR
REPUBLICAN.
REPUBLICAN. IT’S NOT A PARTISAN ISSUE.
IN SUCH A CIRCUMSTANCE, WE NEED
WHISTLE-BLOWERS TO COME FORWARD
TO -- KEEP DEMOCRACY ALIVE.
OFTEN AN AGENT OF CHANGE BECAUSE
WHAT WHISTLE-BLOWERS DO, THEY
SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER.
LAWS ARE WRITTEN BECAUSE ONCE
THERE’S A SCANDAL AND A LEADER
IS REMOVED FROM OFFICE, CONGRESS
TYPICALLY RESPONDS TO BE SURE
THAT THOSE ABUSES WON’T RECUR.
TAKE THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY
INSPECTOR GENERAL.
INSPECTOR GENERAL. THAT’S THE APPARATUS THROUGH
WHICH THE CIA WHISTLE-BLOWER
COMPLAINT ROSE THAT’S ROCKING
OUR COUNTRY TODAY.
THAT’S PUT IF NN PLACE AFTER
WATERGATE BECAUSE CONGRESS
LOOKED AT NIXON’S ABUSE OF POWER
AND TRIED TO LEGISLATE TO BE
SURE THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN AGAIN.
WE CAN LEGISLATE TO MAKE
NATIONAL SECURITY
NATIONAL SECURITY WHISTLE-BLOWERING LESS PERILOUS.
WE CAN ALSO PASS ANTI-CORRUPTION
LAWS THAT MAKE IT VERY CLEAR
WHAT THE EMOLUMENTS CLAUSE OF
THE CONSTITUTION MEANS IN THE
21st CENTURY.
21st CENTURY. SO THERE’S ALL SORTS OF THINGS
WE CAN DO IN RESPONSE.
HISTORY REALLY SHOWS US THAT WE
CAN DO HORRIBLE CIRCUMSTANCES
AND THANKS TO A WHISTLE-BLOWER
PUT THINGS RIGHT AGAIN.